Roeg's Picks for 2012: Best German Bier Hall

Best German Bier Hall: Liters of beer, fantastic German food, lots of camaraderie, and even an Oompah band mark the signs of a great German Bier Hall.  I love visiting these places with friends and spending the evening, however, I’ve found that it is really hard to find a new beer at these places, unless you actually find a new place.  Hence, there was actually only one winner in this category this year (I’ll try harder in 2013).

Gold: Hofbrauhaus, Pittsburgh, PA – The Hofbrauhaus in Pittsburgh (http://hofbrauhauspittsburgh.com/) goes a long way to try to provide Americans with an authentic experience.  With so many trips to Pittsburgh in a year, I love stopping by for an evening.  This past year I got the Oktoberfest Schweinshaxe (with crackling) to go along with their Christmas beer, or Weihnachts.  There is a new seasonal each month, so my task for the upcoming year is to visit in a month that I haven’t had their seasonal offering (April, October or November).

Silver: None

Bronze: None

Honorable Mention: Wolf’s Biergarten (http://www.wolffsbiergarten.com/) was a great local German Bier Hall here in Albany that I was able to visit a couple of times for the food and their showcasing of European Football.  I love the place, but after three trips I wasn’t able to try any new beers.  A note to the owner, try bringing in a special tap once in a while.


"Abstainer: a weak person who yields to the temptation of denying himself a pleasure." - Ambrose Bierce